Myanmar Explorer - 19 Days/18 Nights

Yangon - Kyaik Hti Yo - Mt. Popa - Bagan - Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin – Kalaw – Inle Lake - Ngapali Beach

This itinerary is designed for those who have a bit more time to get off the beaten track and experience rarely visited parts of Myanmar. You'll not only see the most famous sights in Yangon, Bagan, and Mandalay but also visit the famous Golden Rock Pagoda, ancient capitals, peaceful towns, and small villages. Enjoy trekking near the old British hill station of Kalaw, enough time to really explore Inle Lake, and finish the tour relaxing on the serene and beautiful beaches at Ngapali.

• Itinerary
• Rates
• Hotels
• Book this Tour

 
Privately-Guided! Whether you are a single person, a couple, or a group, you'll have your own guide and driver for all airport pickups, dropoffs, and daily excursions, but the rest of your time is free to explore!
 
Choose your own dates! This is not a fixed-departure-date tour. Just let us know the dates that work best for you and we will arrange everything.
 
Customizable! Need more time? Less time? Want to see or do something that isn't included? Just let us know, and we will arrange it for you.

What our Clients Say - Our clients can't wait to tell us how their trip went when they return. Read what some of our clients have written to us.

Trip Highlights

• Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon
• The "Golden Rock"
• Inle Lake
• Trekking to Palaung Village
• Ngapali Beach

Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrive Yangon
Arrive at Yangon International Airport where you will be welcomed and taken to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy dinner at Karaweik Palace restaurant over a performance of traditional Myanmar dance and music. Overnight in Yangon. (Dinner)

Day 2:  Yangon
In the morning, visit Shwedagon Pagoda, the world famous golden stupa that dominates the Yangon skyline. Enjoy a walking tour in the heart of Yangon where you will have opportunities to take pictures. Visit the massive Chauk Htut Gyi Reclining Buddha and nearby monasteries. After lunch visit Bogyoke Market where local merchants offer traditional Myanmar handicrafts and jewelry. End the afternoon with a visit to the Botautaung Pagoda and Nanthida Jetty. Overnight in Yangon. (Breakfast)

Day 3:  Yangon to Kyaik Hti Yo
In the morning, drive through a delta area en route to the Sittaung River and Kyaik Hti Yo. Arrive mid-morning at the base camp Kimpun. Transfer to the transit junction in a small cozy open truck followed by a thirty-minute scenic ride to your hotel. After lunch, hike to the Golden Rock, which is surrounded by vendors selling traditional medicated roots, spices, and refreshments. Enjoy the sunset from this beautiful site with breathtaking views and fresh mountain air. Overnight in Kyaik Hti Yo. (Breakfast)

Day 4:  Kyaik Hti Yo to Bago to Yangon
In the morning, drive back to Yangon, stopping in Bago, an ancient capital of Mon Kings, for lunch. After lunch visit the Shwetharlyaung Buddha Image, the oldest reclining Buddha in Myanmar, and a World War II Memorial - a reminder of the strategic importance of Burma during that time.  Overnight in Yangon. (Breakfast)

Day 5:  Yangon to Mt. Popa
After breakfast, take a 70-minute flight to Bagan. Upon arrival be welcomed and proceed to Mt. Popa (4981 feet), an extinct volcano with amazing views, temperate weather, and lush green landscape. Check in to your hotel. Overnight in Mt. Popa. (Breakfast)

Day 6:  Mt. Popa to Bagan
After breakfast, drive about an hour back to Bagan, enjoying the views of local farms extracting palm juice from palm trees and making a local favorite candy with the same palm juice called jaggery.

After checking into your hotel, spend the rest of the morning visiting the ancient temples: Shwezigon pagoda, Htilo Minlo temple, and Wetgyi-In Gu Byauk Gyi. After lunch visit a lacquerware workshop to observe the detailed process of making this famous local product. Then visit the Dhamayangyi temple, Anada temple, Thatbyinnyu temple.  Enjoy the sunset at Shwesandaw Pagoda affording unequaled views of Bagan’s landscape. Overnight in Bagan. (Breakfast)

Day 7:  Bagan to Mandalay
In the morning transfer to the airport for your short flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed and taken to your hotel for check-in. Today visit Amarapura, an 18th century capital of Myanmar. Visit Maha Gandayon Monestary to observe the daily meal of over a thousand monks at the country's largest Monastery. Continue on to a silk weaving workshop. Silk weaving is the craft specialty of Amarapura. After lunch visit Mandalay. See the Maha Muni Buddha Image; the most sacred Pagoda in Upper Myanmar and a tapestry workshop. Visit the Shwenandaw Monastery and Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 stone slabs of Buddha’s scriptures (known as the world's biggest book). Enjoy the magnificent views at sunset from Mandalay Hill. Overnight in Mandalay. (Breakfast)

Day 8:  Mandalay
Take an hour boat excursion to Mingun village on the bank of Ayarwaddy River. Enjoy a picnic on board while taking in the relaxing views and see how the local people earn a living and enjoy their lifestyle along the river. Disembark at Mingun and proceed to the Mya Thein Dan Zedi, built by the King of Saggaing as a memorial for his beloved wife and late queen. The views from the top of this temple are among the best in the region. Also visit the Mingun Bell before returning to Mandalay. Enjoy lunch on the boat, where you will disembark and drive to Saggaing.Upon arrival in Saggaing, visit Saggaing hill, regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. Enjoy the great panoramic view of the city and river. Next journey to the base of Saggaing and visit a home for nuns.  Drive back to Mandalay via the Bridge of Saggaing that was built over the Ayarwaddy River during British Colonial times. Enjoy the sunset at U Bein Bridge. Overnight in Mandalay. (Breakfast)

Day 9:  Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin
Drive 2 hours to Pyin Oo Lwin at over 2000 feet above sea level. Visit the Pwe Kauk Water Falls, formerly known as Hampshire Falls by the British. See the Kandawgyi Botanical Garden that was built under the direction of Colonel May using Turkish prisoners of war during World War II. Enjoy a short trip into town by a horse drawn cart to visit the market and see the Shan style antique, knit goods, vegetables, and flowers. Take note of the Purcell Tower, a 75-foot-high clock tower built in 1936 that still chimes every 15 minutes. Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin. (Breakfast)

Day 10:  Pyin Oo Lwin
Travel to the Goak Htaik Bridge by train. The Bridge was built by a joint American and British engineering venture over 100 years ago. Return to Pyin Oo Lwin by car. En route, observe beekeepers working along the roadside and sample the raw pure honey here while stretching your legs. Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin. (Breakfast)

Day 11:  Pyin Oo Lwin to Kalaw
After breakfast, drive 2 hours to the Mandalay airport for the 30-minute flight to Heho. Upon arrival, be welcomed and drive another 2 hours to Kalaw, at 4300 ft (1440 meters) above sea level. Kalaw was once a favorite hill station for British administrative officials and a summer resort for their family during the hot season. A peaceful town surrounded by pine forests, it is home to the Palaung, Pa-O, Taung-Yo, and Dha Nu hill tribes of the Shan ethnic group. Kalaw market contains a variety of vendors selling beautiful flowers, indoor plants, fresh vegetables and medicinal herbs. Also visit a 500-year-old Buddha image made of thin lacquered bamboo strips. Overnight in Kalaw. (Breakfast)

Day 12:  Kalaw to Inle Lake
After breakfast, set out on a trek to a Palaung village. The round trip hike will take about 7 hours on a wide, easy trail. You'll pass through an unforgettable landscape of mountain-side fields, where farmers cultivate a variety of vegetables. After visiting the Palaung Village, hike about one hour to your lunch spot, a secluded Nepalese-owned hill-top restaurant with stunning views. Return to Kalaw by about 3 pm, then drive 2 hours to Nyaung Shwe; the biggest city at Inle Lake. There, you'll board a boat for a 30-minute ride to your hotel. Overnight in Inle Lake. (Breakfast)

Day 13:  Inle Lake
Inle Lake is 22 km long by 10 km wide, with an average depth of six meters. It truly is the heart of rural culture in Burma. Today you will visit the colorful Five Day market where hill tribes trade vegetables, fruits, sun-dried tea leaves, and wooden sculptures. Visit Ywama village, floating gardens, a traditional weaving mill for Intha-textiles, and silk weaving workshops. Next visit Nampan village where you will observe how Burmese Cheroots are made. Also visit a workshop for handmade Shan paper that is made from mulberry bark and transformed into Shan umbrellas and other beautiful products. See the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and its 5 holy Buddha images. Nga Phe Chaung Monastery. Overnight in Inle Lake. (Breakfast)

Day 14:  Inle Lake
Travel by speed boat to visit Indein Village, where over thousands of pagodas are clustered - perhaps built by one of the kings of the Bagan era. Walk through the stairways originally made of 403 wooden pillars to reach the hill top.  On the way back to the boat, walk through temple ruins and pagodas. Take the boat back to the hotel. In the afternoon, relax at the hotel or explore on your own. Overnight in Inle Lake. (Breakfast)

Day 15:  Inle Lake to Ngapali Beach
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Thandwe. Upon arrival you will be welcomed and taken to your hotel in Ngapali Beach. Here you can unwind at the beach, relax and soak up the beautiful scenery. Overnight at Ngapali Beach. (Breakfast)

Day 16:  Ngapali Beach
Today, take a boat excursion to a private island. While you are snorkeling, the boat driver and assistant will prepare a BBQ lunch along with Arakanese home cooked eggplant curry, rice, fresh coconut juice, and beer. After lunch, return to Ngapali Beach. The afternoon is free to relax at the resort. Overnight at Ngapali Beach. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 17:  Ngapali Beach
After breakfast, take a 20 minute walk to a local fishing village. Walk to the main road of Ngapali village and pass by the local homes, where you can talk and interact with the local children. Enjoy a Tri-shaw or bicycle ride and return to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax at the resort. Overnight at Ngapali Beach. (Breakfast)

Day 18:  Ngapali Beach to Yangon
Transfer to the Thandwe airport for your flight to Yangon. Be welcomed on arrival and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore on your own and do last minute shopping. Overnight in Yangon. (Breakfast)

Day 19:  Depart from Yangon
Transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight. (Breakfast)

Rates

Per Person Rates (based on double occupancy)

Prices good through September 30, 2010. 

4-star Hotels: $ 3790
4 and 5-star Hotels: $ 4490 

Single Person Traveling Alone

4-star Hotels: $ 6950

4 and 5-Star Hotels: $ 8415 

Single Room Supplement
(for groups of 2 or more, if someone wants their own room, add this to the double-occupancy rate)

4-star Hotels: $ 1400

4 and 5- star Deluxe Hotels: $ 1935

Rates Include

• All airport transfers
• All tours and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
• In-country flights as outlined in the itinerary
• All surface transportation as per the itinerary by air conditioned car with water and cool towels
• Hotel accommodation on double occupancy basis including taxes and service fees
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Entrance fees to indicated sites
• Services of a local English speaking guide for all visits and excursions
• Yangon International Airport Tax $10 upon departure

 
Rates Do Not Include

• International airfare
• Visa fees
• Tips
• Expenses of a personal nature
• Supplements for stays on Christmas or New Year's Eve and mandatory gala dinners at the hotels on those dates

Hotels

Hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking. If a hotel listed below is not available, an alternative hotel of similar quality will be substituted. Some areas may not have 4 or 5 star hotels, in which case the best available hotel is used.

To Book This Tour

1. Download, print, and fill out the Reservation Form for each person.
2. Fax the form to 206-529-4803, or mail it with your non-refundable $500 per person deposit to:
   
   Red Lantern Journeys
   1000 N. Northlake Way
   Suite H Seattle, WA 98103
   
   
3. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. If your reservation is made less than 75 days prior to departure, full payment will be due upon confirmation of hotels and flights.

 
Payments must be made by personal check, bank wire transfer, or credit card. Upon receipt of your deposit, we will initiate the reservations and send you a statement showing your payment. Approximately 4 weeks prior to your departure, we will send you a final confirmation package containing your itinerary and detailed information on the logistics of your trip.
 
Forms to Download (pdf file)
Reservation Form with Complete Terms and Conditions